West Coast coach Adam Simpson has every reason to be pleased with how the Eagles are shaping up with two AFL pre-season wins already, but all that could be undone if the worst is confirmed with star defender Eric Mackenzie.
West Coast have now beaten an Indigenous All Stars team by eight points and Carlton by 31 points in the space of seven days with ruckman Nic Naitanui, midfielder Scott Selwood and key forward Jack Darling still to return.
With Brownlow Medallist Matt Priddis and fellow key players Luke Shuey, Josh Kennedy and Mark LeCras all in good form during Friday’s 1.9.15 (78) to 2.4.5 (47) win over Carlton in Mandurah, the signs were pleasing for Simpson’s men.
However, the one player they could least afford to lose is reigning best and fairest winner, and 121-game key defender Mackenzie but it appears now a mere formality that scans will confirm his 2015 is over due to a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.
Despite that, Simpson is expecting Naitanui and Selwood to play on March 8 against Port Adelaide at Coopers Stadium as the build-up intensifies for round one of the season proper against the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium on April 4.
“He (Selwood) trained this week but if we can get him through another week of training and he might sneak in a last NAB Challenge match but we’re pretty patient with his return,” Simpson said.
“We’re hoping (Naitanui will play Port Adelaide) but it’ll be touch and go. The pleasing thing is that he’s had a really good look during the pre-season. It’s not like we’re trying to cram in some work. He’s done a lot of minutes so now it’s probably getting match fit.”
As for West Coast’s opponents on Friday, it was a Carlton team not only missing their coach with Mick Malthouse remaining home with his wife as she underwent exploratory surgery, but up to 11 of their best players.
Marc Murphy, Chris Judd, Andrew Walker, Matthew Kreuzer, Bryce Gibbs, Robert Warnock, Lachie Henderson, Andrew Carrazzo, Dale Thomas and Michael Jamison were among the players missing who will return in the lead-up to round one against Richmond.
The Blues still have NAB Challenge matches against Collingwood and Geelong to come, firstly against the Pies on Sunday March 15 in Bendigo, and stand-in coach Rob Wiley is not hiding from the fact that the team has plenty of work to do.
“It’s about getting players fit enough for Round 1. Our policy was always that some would play three games and some would play two,” Wiley said.
“You will definitely see a different side in two weeks, but the same principle occurs that as a team, we just have to play better as a team. The players are up for that challenge. This was a young team but we’ll go away better for it.”
